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(No Mdell.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. P. THEURER 8u O.- MUELLER.

GA'SK PITGHING APPARATUS.

Patented 1360.29, 1896.

Elma/72125719. Jdca E' T/zearer 0J'Car Mael/er' (No Model.)y 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. P. THEURBR 8u O. MUELLER. GASK PITGHING APPARATUS f No. 574,181.

Patented 1160. 29, 1896.

. Ofcar Mae//er I?? wenz??? A (Hommel.) i sheets-#heet 3. J. CP. THBURER 8u 0. MUELLER. Y

cAsK PITGHING APPARATUS. N 5741 l. Pate ed 1896 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB F. THEURER AND OSCAR MUELLER, OF MILVAUKEE, VISCONSIN, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ALONZO PAWLING AND HENRY HARNISCHFEGER, OF SAME PLACE.

CASK-PITCHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,181, dated December 29, 1896, Application filed August 30, 1895. Serial No. 561,000. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern: ash-pit E, and the usual doors for the respec- Be it known that we, JACOB F. THEURER tive spaces as well shown in Figs. 1 and 2. and OSCAR MUELLER, citizens of the United The form and dimensions of the vat are op- States, residing at Milwaukee, in the coun-ty tional, and the same is trueof the lire-space,

5 of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have though it is preferred to arrangeabridge-wall 55 invented certain new and useful Improve- F about midway between the front and rear ments in Apparatus for Vashing, Pitching, sides of the space immediately beneath the orEnameling Casks Barrels orKegs, of which vat, as shown in Fig. l. This arrangement the following is a specification. causes the burning gases and products of lcointo Ourinvention relates to apparatus for washbustion to pass in close contact with the bot- 6o ing, pitching, or enameling casksbarrels, and tom of the tank or vat, so that the heat is kegs; and it consists in various matters hereetfectively applied and well utilized. inafter setforth,the objects sought being sim- The space in rear of the bridge-wall conplicity of construction, convenience and ranects. either directly or by an intervening l5 pidity of operation, and efficiency of action. tunnel. witha stack or chimney, which serves 65 In the accompanying drawings we have to afford a proper draft and to carry off such illustrated ourapparatusin its preferred form. smoke and soot as may be produced. but it is to be understood that within some- The tank or vat A is provided with a top what wide limits the form and construction or cover G, which is made bodily removable,

zo of parts may be varied as circumstances reand has attached to it all the working parts, 7o quire or convenience suggests. so that repairs may be made to the machinery Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the without putting out the fire or emptying' the apparatus on the linenca: of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 isa tank. To give ready access to the interior vertical section on the line y y of Fig. 3. without necessitating removal of the top,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view; and Fig. 4 is a vermanholes are formed in the top G, and these 75 tical section on the line ,z zof Fig. 3, designed are furnished with removable covers H, as to show on 'a larger scale various details of shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. construction. Suspended from the top G, or otherwise In breweries and other places where large conveniently sustained or supported, is acen- 3o numbers of kegs, barrels, and casks are used trifugal pump I or equivalent. liquid-forcing 8o the timeandlaborinvolvedin properlycleansapparatus. The shell or casing of pump I ing and pitching or enameling them are items communicates by branch pipes a with annuof great importance. lar chambers b, formed in substantial brack- Our purpose is to produce simple, durable, ets or hangers J, bolted or otherwise made and efficient machinery capable of rapidly fast to top G. It is of course obvious that 85 performing the work of cleaning and coating the chambers b may be formed in castings and requiring but little manual labor. made separate from the brackets or hangers,

With this purpose in view we construct our but secured thereto, though it will be found apparatus in the following manner, subject, convenient and economical to form them 4o of course, to such modifications as fall proptherein. I 9o erly within the province of the engineer or The annular chambers b are each formed mechanic. with a concentric opening at top and bottom,

A indicates a tank or vat, of iron or other through which openings passes a tube K, tersuitable material, which may be conveniently minating in a nozzle c.

supported upon masonry B, advisably of fire- Each tube K is provided near its lower end 95 brick or like refractory material, capable of with a series of slits or openings d, which, withstanding high temperatures. when the tube is elevated, as shown at the Beneath the tank or Vat A, and extending right-hand side in Figs. 1 and 4 and at the about half-way across the same, more or less, left-hand side in Fig 2, come within the anare aiire-chamber C, having grate-bars D, an nular space b, and are thus put into com- Ioo munication with pipe d, and consequently with pump l. yThen the pipe K is lowered,

as represented at the opposite side in each of feled a double-convex disk f, provided with a dependingy stem g.

L indicates a lifting-bar, the lower end of whichis provided with an opening to receive Uit ybar L is provided with an undercut notch h to receive a rlip i, formed atr the outerend of the opening in top G through which the bar passes. The rlocation of the notch is such that when the nozzle c is elevated to its proper height and the openings d are carredwithin chamber Il by the lifting ot' bar L the notch shall be coincident withthe lipffi, and the lifting-bar may be securely hung upon said lip, as shown 'at the left hand in Fig. 2;

Secured to each tube K above the portion of bracket .l through which said tube passes is a gear-wheel j, formed with a depending collar 7sr to encircle a vertical neck formed upon the bracket, as shown in Fig. t. The neck and collar jointly form a fluid-check in the nature of a dash-pot, serving to prevent the pipe l( and the lifting-bar L,which jointly possess considerable weight, from falling too suddenly and injuring the apparatus. The descent ot' said parts is prompt and certain during the most ot their travel, but just before reaching their lowest position the collar encircles the neck, confines a body of the liquid with which the tank A is supplied, and can only complete its descent gradually as the liquid is iorced out from between the neck and collar. This enables the nozzle to be speedily withdrawn from and carried clear oi the keg or eask, which is quite desirable, yet precludes injury oi the parts through toosudden movement or by concussion.

Each nozzle c is provided with one or more slits or perforations, preferably a single slit, through which the liquid issues under the pressure produced by the pump. By employing the single slit a broad tlat sheet of liquid is thrown from the nozzle with force sufficient to reach the most distant part of a eask, barrel, or keg.

For the purpose of distributingv the liquid over the entire interior of the eask or keg it is desirable to rotate either the nozzle or the vessel, and for several reasons it is deemed better to rotate the nozzle. For this purpose the shaft M of pump I is provided with a worm or screwN, which gives motion to a series of ta-ngentially-arranged shafts t.)

through the medium of worm gear-wheels l.

Each shaft carries at its outer end a worm or screw Q, and each oi' said worms or screws meshes with one or another of the wormwheelsj of the nozzle-pipes K, as seen in Figs. l, 3, and t, when the nozzles are elevated. Merely loweringa nozzle discon neets its wheel' yi from the worm or screw which rotatcsit, and thus brings the nozzle to rest, at the same time cutting oli' its communication with the pump. but establishing communication with tank A. Elevating the nozzle placesfits rotating gear in mesh and reestablishes coinmunication with the pump, at the sante time cutting ott direct communication with the tank.

legs and casks usually contain three open ings, one in the head, another at the midlength, and a third near one end, and it has hitherto been necessary to plug two of these openings before inserting the injector-nozzle. This required considerable time and a large supply of plugs of proper size. Ve now avoid the necessity of thus plugging any except the opening in the head by arranging the eask or keg to lie in a fixed position and permitting the surplus liquid rto Ilow out through the middle bungdiole and through one ot' the two openings left unplugged.

, To support the kegs or casks in proper position relative tothe nozzles, there is provided foreach an oblong frame or bed R, the upper edge of which is so curved as to ailord a proper seat for the side of a keg or eask and to preventthe latter i'rom rolling oft sidewise. This will be readily understood upon referring to Figs. 1., 3, and t. The bed-frames or stipports R are ot' a length to support the keg or eask at a point near one end and at another point between the bung-hole and the opposite end ot' the eask, as indicated in Figs. l and a. This arrangement permits the attendant to rock or tip the keg or eask upon the edge of the support at a point near the mid-length of the former, and thus to lift the inner end above the raised edges, which hold it against rolling, and in this way the placing and handling of the kegs or casks are made easy.

In order to adapt the same apparatus to handle whole, half, and quarter barrels, or such other sizes as may be desired, the supporting-frames or boxes R are made removable and interchangeable, each having the same-sized base, but the raised rims or sides varying according to the contemplated size of eask or vessel, as indicated in Fig. 3.

\Vhen the keg or eask is in position upon its box or supporting-trame R, the two holes fall within its boundaries, and the old coating, which is softened and removed by the liquid injected, ilows out of the middle bung-hole and the opening near the end of the keg or eask, together with any surplus of the injected liquid. It often happens that impurities and IOO IIO

foreign matters of one kind or another are contained in the liquid llowing from the keg or cask, and it is desirable to prevent these from flowing back into the tank A. Hence inclined screens or gratings S are placed in the top or cover of the tank, one within each of the spaces surrounded by the frames R. The' liquid flowing over this screen passes through its perforations or meshes and mingles with that of the tank A, but solid matters are held back and prevented from fouling the liquid in the tank.

The mat-ter removed from kegs and casks is often quite ill-smelling or foul, and it is desirable to prevent the odors from being disseminated through the brewery or the work-room. IVe accordingly carry a pipe or trunk T from the top G of the tank A and connect it by a pipe or pipes U with the ashpit E of the furnace, as shown in the several gures. The strong draft induced by the fire and the stack or chimney causes air to be drawn downward through the screens or gratings S into the ash-pit and through the fire, whicheffectually destroys the odors. By this same provision the fumes arising from the liquid itself are carried off, burned, and thus rendered harmless.

If at any time the draft be insufficient to produce a proper ingoing current of air through the screens, a steam-jet may be ernployed in pipes U to strengthen the flow. For this purpose we provide a steam-pipe V, communicating with any convenient generator and provided with a suitable controllingvalve.

The pipes U U are furnished with dampers m, by which communication with the ash-pit may be regulated or cut off, as required.

Pitch and some other substances employed for coating kegs and casks being quite inammable and liable to take fire at any moment, it is desirable that provision be made for speedily putting out the llames if they start in or about the tank A. To this end we provide pipe V with a branch W, communieating with a reservoir containing carbonicacid gas or any other fire-extinguishing gas, and by providing both the pipe V and the branch IV with proper valves steam or carbonic-acid gas may either or both be admitted to or shut off from the tank A. By the introduction of the gas the flames may be quickly subdued and the apparatus thus speedily restored to operative condition.

As before mentioned, it is desirable to be able to remove all working or moving parts of the apparatus and to repair them without putting out the fire or emptying the contents of the tank, and for this reason all such parts are carried by the top G. Where the pumpshaft M extends to an elevated support or bearing, as indicated, and as will ordinarily be found desirable, it will advisably be made with a removable section X, connected with adjoining sections by compression-couplings n or equivalent fastenings, so that it may be taken out to permit elevation `of the cover G.

Y indicates a jointed bracket or shelf to support the keg or cask While being rolled to and from its supporting-bedv or box R, one such support being arranged by the side of each box R, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In practice it is found advisable to make the tank A of comparatively small dimensions and to so brace and strengthen the top that it shall not warp or spring, as otherwise the shafts and gearing are apt to be thrown out of proper allnement or adjustment, and thus caused to work with difficulty or to bind and prevent operation. It is deemed best to provide space for four nozzles and casks, though we do not restrict ourselves to this or any other number, but may use one alone or any greater number.

As suggested at the outset, various modifications may be made, such, for instance, as other common forms of gearing, perforated instead of slitted nozzles, the employment of ametallic casing in lieu of masonry, and such other variations as are within the province of mechanics and builders of apparatus of the kind.

Vhen provided with the furnace, the apparatus is capable of use either for washing or cleansing casks or for pitching or enameling them, and of course it may be used also with cold solutions. If intended only for cold solutions, the furnace may be omitted.

A thermometer Z is provided to indicate the temperature of the liquid in the vat.

The pipes U may connect with the space in rear of thebridge-wall, if desired,

Vhile the pump-shaft M will ordinarily be carried to an elevated support or bearing and provided with a removable sect-ion, we do not of course wish to restrict ourselves to this precise arrangement, as it is obvious that a rope drive may be employed, in which case the shaft M will extend but a short distance upward, Where it will be provided with a grooved wheel to receive the driving rope or band. V

Having thus described our invention, we claiml. In combination with a tank and with a furnace for heating the same; a trunk opening directly from the tank into the furnace to carry olf fumes from the tank; and a steampipe opening into the trunk and serving to induce a current through the same.

2. In combination with a tank and with a furnace for heating the same; a trunk connecting the tank and furnace and provided with a valve or damper, and a pipe commu- IOO IIO

n'icating with the tank and With a source of carbonic-acid gas; whereby fumes arising within the tank may normally pass to the furnace; and whereby communication between the furnace and tank may be closed and carbonio-acid gas be introduced into the tank without entering the furnace.

In combination with tank A, and its furnace B, trunks T, U, steam-pipe V, carbonic-acid-gas pipe IV, and valves for controlling the flow of steam and gas; whereby the same jet device is made to serve for both.

4c. In combination with tank A and its top or cover G, a pump suspended from said top, and a shaft extending from the pump to an overhead bearing or support and provided with a removable section; whereby upon the removal of said section the top G maybe lifted off with the parts attached thereto.

5. In combination with a tank, a bracket provided with an annular chamber Z); a pipe K provided with a nozzle c and with a lateral opening d; a pump I; a pipe a connecting the pump and chamber b, and means for moving pipe K longitudinally to carry the opening d into or out of chamber l), as desired.

(5. In combination with the tank of a cask cleaning or enameling apparatus, a jet or spray device comprising a shell or casing having an annular chamber b, and a pipe closed at one end, provided with a deliveryorifice at the other end, and having an inletorifiee at an intermediate point, said pipe being longitudinally movable and thereby adapted to bring the inlet-opening into communication with chamber l), and to close it against direct communication with the tank; or to carry said opening out of communication with the inlet and into direct communication with the tank, whereby liquid is permitted to drain from the nozzle.

7. In combination with tank A anda top or cover therefor, a pump I; a shaft X for imparting motion thereto; a worm-wheel N carried by said shaft; a shaft Oprovided with worm-gear P and worm or screw Q, and a jet-pipe K provided with a worm gearwheel j; all arranged substantially as described and shown; whereby the jet-pipe is thrown into gear and is caused to rotate when moved to operative position, but is disconnected from the gearing when withdrawn from operative position.

S. In combination with a tank and pump; a rotatable shaft O provided with a gear-wheel Q; a bracket or support J provided with a chamber ZJ; a pipe d connecting chamber b with the pump; a pipe K provided with a nozzle c and with lateral orifice d; a gear-wheel secured to pipe K and adapted to mesh with gear Q, and means for moving pipe K longitudinally.

i). In combination with a tank and with a bracket or support as J, a jet-pipe K movable longitudinally through the support; and a neck and collar formed one upon the support and the other upon the pipe; whereby the liquid oi' the tank is confined and caused to cushion the descent of the pipe.

lO. In combination with bracket J provided with neck Z; pipe K; and gear-wheelj secured to said pipe and provided with collar k, substantially as and for the purpose explained.

1l. In combination with tank A and its top or cover G provided with lip i; verticallymovable jet-pipe K; and lifting-bar L provided with notch h.

l2. In combination with tank A and bracket J; jet-pipe K; lifting-bar L, and a swivel connection between the pipe and bar, consisting of a two-part shell e, and a disk j" seated within said shell and having a stem g seated in the bar L,

13. In a cask cleansing or enamelin g apparatus, the combination of a tank; a frame or support to hold a eask above said tank, and a screen interposed between the cask and tank to prevent large particles of matter from flowing from the cask into the tank.

l-l-. In combination with a tank or vat, a cask holder or support adapted to sustain a cask on its side and to extend beyond the two side openings of the Cask, anda screen interposed between the tank and the side opening of the cask nearest its end.

15. In combination with a furnace-tank, having an openingin its top; a cask-support surrounding said opening; an injecting-nozzle extending upward within the Cask-support; and a trunk leading into the furnace and serving to carry fumes and odors from a cask placed upon said Cask-support, into the furnace, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof we hereunto set our hands in the presence of two witnesses.

JACOB F. TI-IEURER. OSCAR MUELLER. Witnesses:

Il. C. Gon'rz, EMIL BEST. 

